Fairytale (Russian: Сказка, romanized: Skazka) is a 2022 experimental animated fantasy film directed by Alexander Sokurov. It depicts conversations in purgatory among Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill, using archival footage and deepfake technology, and also features Jesus and Napoleon.[1][2][3]
Fairytale | |
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Directed by | Alexander Sokurov |
Written by | Alexander Sokurov |
Produced by | Nikolay Yankin |
Music by | Murat Kabardokov |
Production company | Intonations |
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Running time | 78 minutes |
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The film had its world premiere in August 2022 at the 75th Locarno Film Festival. It was submitted to the 2022 Cannes Film Festival but was not selected.[1]
Neil Young of Screen Daily wrote, "while Fairytale stretches the viewer's indulgent patience even at a relatively brief 78 minutes, surrendering to its odd, oneiric flow can often prove an experience more pleasurable than purgatorial."[2] Guy Lodge of Variety wrote that "even at just under 80 minutes, Fairytale too often appears to be running (or rather drifting) in place" but that "[a]s visions of purgatory go, it's an eerily beautiful one".[3]
David Jenkins of Little White Lies wrote, "the novelty of the interactions and the almost lyrical directionlessness of the conversations manages to hold the attention, largely through the freshness and innovation of the visuals."[4] Nicholas Bell of IONCINEMA called the film "a subversive reflection on the past as well as a hypnotic provocation", giving it a three and a half out of five stars.[5] Leonardo Goi of The Film Stage wrote, "lysergic and creatively fertile as its setup may sound, Fairytale is a rather staid dream", giving it a C+ grade.[6]
Films directed by Alexander Sokurov | |
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